Rise in cruelty to cats sparks RSPCA appeal

CAT owners in Swansea are being urged to take responsibility for a glut of unwanted kittens.

Staff at the RSPCA Llys Nini animal centre in Penllergaer have spoken out following a series of harrowing cases of animal cruelty in which kittens have been found dumped in horrendous circumstances.

The centre's director Sally Hyman has made the move following the discovery of a cat that had been thrown in the rubbish.

Previously kittens have been found thrown into a river and dumped in a plastic bag and hung from a tree.

Ms Hyman said the charity was now being "overrun" with unwanted kittens.

"Staff say that they are just not coping with the huge numbers of unwanted cats and kittens," she added.

"The cattery is so full that staff and volunteers are having to take kittens home at night and bring them into work in the day.

"The fundraising office currently has eight unwanted and abandoned kittens in it during the working day."

Of the latest case of animal cruelty she said: "Spike, a little black kitten, was brought into the centre of Friday; a member of the public had found him shut in an old cardboard box and thrown in the rubbish in Tycoch, Swansea.

"Luckily for him he was found just half an hour before the bins were due to be collected."

Ms Hyman has now called on all owners to make sure their pets are neutered to avoid unwanted animals.

She said: "The problem is that people will not get their cats neutered to prevent unwanted kittens, and then when the kittens arrive they don't know what to do with them and just abandon them.

"We can help, we can supply free cat neutering vouchers to people in Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot to get cats neutered. We can even micro-chip their pet for just £10, so lost pets can be returned to owners."

The charity needs help in finding good homes for animals currently on their books.

"We are appealing to people thinking of getting a pet to get one from a rescue centre and not a breeder," Ms Hyman said.